Healey, Eric

The Albany Times Union reported yesterday that Eric Healey signed a free agent contract with the Colorado Avalanche on July 13, 2007. Healey was signed by the Lightning last summer and scored a career high 75 points (27 goals, 48 assists) enroute to leading Tampa's AHL affiliate in Springfield in goals, assists, and points. Healey finished the 2006-2007 AHL campaign as its 12th leading scorer.

The Detroit Free Press reported on Wednesday that the Red Wings signed forward Carl Corazzini to a one-year deal on July 16, 2007. Corazzini spent the last two seasons as an offensive fixture for the AHL's Norfolk Admirals, Tampa's new AHL affiliate. It was speculated by BoltProspects early in the off-season that Tampa might target Corrazzini as a possible signee for the 2007-2008 campaign, but the Lightning instead signed Craig MacDonald and Mathieu Darche as veteran offensive leaders for the Admirals.

I'll say it again: the Lightning need to make sure to take David Spina with them to Norfolk.

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MAN-6

Jonathan Boutin allowed 3 goals on 14 shots before being pulled for Kevin Beech who allowed 3 on 33 shots to take the backdoor loss. David Spina and Norm Milley each had 2 goals in the game. Veterans Kyle Wanvig, Daniel Corso and Eric Healey each had 2 assists. Jacob Micflikier and Nick Kuiper added individual helpers.

Spina now has 15 goals and 35 points in 71 games this season. Over the last 11 games Spina has 7 goals and 13 points including 4 multi-point games. This comes at a time when Steve Stirling has chastized some of his players for simply going through the motions down the stretch of an otherwise lost season. Spina has now spent over 1-1/2 years playing in the Lightning's system in Springfield after being signed as an ATO midway through last season. His speed and his character have made him the rare success story among minor league players adjusting to the Lightning's style of play. Tampa has invested too much time in developing Spina not to take him to Norfolk.

Jonathan Boutin stops 46 of 49 in regulation and OT before stopping 3 of 6 in the shootout for the win. ATO signee Justin Fletcher led the way offensively with a pair of power play goals while fellow ATO signee Jacob Micflikier scored a power play goal of his own and also scored in the shootout. Sylvain Dufresne, Joe Rullier, Kyle Wanvig, Daniel Corso, David Spina and Eric Healey added assists. Spina, Micflikier, Stephen Baby, and Wanvig scored for the Falcons in the shootout. Fletcher and Boutin were named second and third stars of the game respectively.

Boutin sets a new personal best for his young career with his 9th win of the season and, for the moment, gets his save percentage back up to .900. Falcons now riding a rare two game winning streak during this horrendous second half collapse.

Choosing this month's award winner was admittedly the most difficult of the season. A handful of prospects had good months, but none stepped up and seized the award by the throat leaving Bolt Prospects to have to spend some time thinking over the selection. In Springfield, Eric Healey paced the Falcons offensively (12 GP, 4-9-13, 2 PIM, -4) while Norm Milley played several inspired games (12 GP, 4-4-8, 14 PIM, -9). However, given Springfield's difficulty in winning hockey games we were hard pressed to give the award to a Falcon. For similar reasons, Chris Lawrence (9 GP, 6-4-10, 10 PIM, +2 and 4 GP, 3-0-3, 8 PIM, -6 in the playoffs) was eliminated from contention after his Mississauga Ice Dogs were unceremoniously upset in the first round of the OHL playoffs. So, this months winner was narrowed down to...

Jonathan Boutin snapped out of a recent slump to stop 27 of 29 shots faced for the win. Veteran Kyle Wanvig led the way with a pair of goals while David Spina notched a pair of assists. ATO signee Jacob Micflikier scored the game winning goal while Adam Henrich, Joe Rullier, Eric Healey and Daniel Corso added helpers. Wanvig, Boutin and MicFlikier were named the game's three stars.

Kevin Beech allowed 3 goals on 32 shots for the loss in his first AHL start. Beech surrendered Portland's winning goal with just 43 seconds left in regulation. Kyle Wanvig and David Spina had the Falcons goals. Eric Healey, Nick Kuiper and Adam Henrich added assists.

Tonight was a make-up for a game that was snowed in a week or two ago.

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SPR-3

Jonathan Boutin allowed 2 goals on 5 shots before being pulled for Kevin Beech who allowed 2 goals on 23 shots the rest of the way to take the loss in his first AHL game. Daniel Corso had 2 assists in the game with the Falcons' goals coming from Kyle Wanvig, Norm Milley and Justin Keller. David Spina, Eric Healey and Nick Kuiper added individual helpers. Wanvig was named third star of the game.